Malay on a platter

Malaysian restaurant chain Awana Group is starting its journey to promote authentic and exotic Malay cuisine in India from Hyderabad.

The group is set to launch its first Malaysian fine dining restaurant in the country in the city on July 28, with plans to launch eight more such restaurants in the country by 2010.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Eddie Lim, managing director of Awana, said the company was firming up plans to open two more restaurants "� one each in Mumbai and Delhi "� in the next two years.

"We plan to grow on our own in India. However, we will look at taking the franchisee route if potential partners approach us," he said, adding that each of these restaurants would entail an investment of around $1 million (Rs 4 crore).

Awana's ('in the clouds' in Malay) 5,000-sft restaurant in Hyderabad, located at the upmarket Banjara Hills, is designed to seat 107 with a 37-seat cocktail bar. It will offer over 85 Malaysian dishes with an exclusive section for vegetarians.

It will feature traditional dishes mixed with modern interpretations of ingredients imported from Malaysia, and would be customised to satiate the Indian taste buds.

The average spend for a full meal with drinks at Awana would be between Rs 250 and Rs 350 per person.

The group currently runs 70 restaurants globally "�- 67 under the Coca brand and the rest under the Awana brand including the one in Hyderabad.